Kompany: I will not leave City

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has given the club a boost as he vowed never to leave for another team like Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Kompany, 26, has emerged as one of the best defenders in the world after arriving in Manchester for around £8 million in 2008 from Hamburg. Now, with Europe's elite on his trail, the Belgian insists he will he staying put.

"It would take me time at another club to reach the level I have achieved with City," he told the Sun. "Even then there would be no guarantee I could do it."

"Besides, I am convinced that I can win just as many honours with City as I could with Barcelona or Real Madrid. Whoever goes to play for Real will be in Ronaldo's shadow, and whoever joins Barca will be overshadowed by Messi. So I prefer to be captain of Manchester City.

"I feel very much at home here and am able to live a normal life. I get interest from paparazzi, but so long as you behave normally there is no problem."

Indeed, he could well have some new team-mates as manager Roberto Mancini insisted that he would not stop spending - even with Financial Fair Play on the horizon - in his bid to ensure City are as successful as possible.

"If we want to stay on top with all the other teams that spend a lot of money in the last 10 years we need to improve and buy top players," the City manager told the Mail on Sunday.